This invention relates to a flexible disc apparatus which limits the unloading (discharge) amount of the recording medium when it is being unloaded (discharged) from the apparatus.
FIG. 15a is an explanatory plan view showing the recording disc and FIG. 15b is an explanatory bottom view showing the recording disc. FIGS. 16a and 16b are explanatory views illustrating a conventional flexible disc apparatus.
In FIGS. 15a and 15b, 50 is a disc-shaped recording medium, 51 is a hub portion made of metal and secured to the central portion of the recording medium 50, 51a is a hole portion provided in the hub portion 51 to which a rotary shaft of a recording medium driving motor (not shown) is inserted. It is to be noted that the hole portion 51a is positioned substantially at the center of a recording disc 55. 52 is a medium cartridge portion for housing the recording medium 50 and 52a is a bore portion provided in the medium cartridge portion 52, which is formed to have a size capable of causing the hub portion 51 to project outwardly. 52b is a window portion provided in the medium cartridge portion 52, 52c is a groove portion provided in the medium cartridge portion 52, 52d is an end portion on the unloading direction B of the groove portion 52c, 52e is a hole portion provided in the side face of the medium cartridge portion 52 and 52f is a taper portion on the unloading direction A of the medium cartridge portion 52.
Also, 53 is a shutter for opening or closing the window portion 52b, 54 is a hook arranged to be movable in the groove portion 52c for opening and closing the shutter. The hook 54 is mechanically connected to the shutter 53 through a length of wire (not shown). 55 is a recording disc, which includes the components designated by the above reference numerals 50-54.
In FIGS. 16a and 16b, 60 is a frame, 61 is a carriage portion having a magnetic head (not shown), 62 is a drive motor for moving the carriage portion 61, 63 is a medium drive motor for rotating the recording medium 50, 64 is a medium unloading mechanism portion for releasing the recording disc 55, 64a is a guide shaft portion disposed in the medium unloading mechanism portion 64, 64b is a lever, 64c is an engagement spring of the lever, 64d is a spring portion for energizing the lever. 65 is a unloading amount restricting spring, 66 is a flexible disc apparatus, which includes the components designated by the above reference numerals 60-65.
Next, the operation of the above-described recording disc will be described. FIG. 17 is an explanatory view showing the recording medium loading and unloading motion (inserting and discharging motion). The same reference numerals as those shown in FIGS. 15a, 15b, 16a and 16b designate identical or corresponding components and their explanations will be omitted. It is to be noted that in this application both the loading direction A and the unloading direction, respectively B are generally referred to as loading and unloading direction.
The operation for loading the recording medium 55 will now be described. When the recording disc 55 is moved in the loading direction A to insert it into the flexible disc apparatus 66, the hook 54 abuts against the engagement spring 64c. A further loading of the recording disc 55 causes the shutter 53 to move to open the window portion 52b. That is, the engagement spring 64c is energized by the spring portion 64d through the lever 64b in the unloading direction B. so that the hook 54 is not allowed to move into the loading direction A and the hook 54 is positioned at the side of the unloading direction B by the spring portion 64d, so that the shutter 53 is moved via the wire (not shown) to open the window portion 52b. 
Also, the unloading amount restricting spring 65 is deformed by being pressed by the recording disc 55 to retreat into the recess provided in the side surface of the frame 60 and, by a further loading of the recording disc 55, temporarily engages with the hole portion 52e and again retreat into the recess of the frame 60.
Then, by further inserting the recording disc 55, the lever 64b is energized by the engagement spring 64c toward the side of the loading direction A, so that it is moved together with the recording disc 55 to the side of the loading direction A against the biasing force of the spring portion 64d. 
Then, when the recording disc 55 reaches to the predetermined position on the frame 60, it is latched by a latch mechanism (not shown) to complete the loading of the recording disc 55.
The unloading operation of the recording disc 55 will now be described. When the unloading button (not shown) is depressed, the latch is released and is moved to the side of the unloading direction B of the recording disc 55 by the biasing force of the spring portion 64d. At this time, the unloading amount restricting spring 65 engages with the hole portion 52e to limit the movement of the recording disc 55 to the side of the unloading direction B.
In the conventional flexible disc apparatus 66 which has the above-described construction, the arrangement is such that upon the unloading operation of the recording disc 55 the unloading amount restricting spring 65 is caused to move from the side opposite to the lever 64b to engage with the hole portion of the recording disc 55, the recording disc 55 is pushed to the side of the lever 64b by the unloading amount restricting spring 65, resulting in a tendency that the loading and unloading operation of the recording disc 55 will become disadvantageously unstable. Also, when the loading and unloading operation of the recording disc 55 is unstable, the unloading amount of the recording disc 55 is disadvantageously difficult.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flexible disc apparatus free from the above discussed problems of the conventional flexible disc apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible disc apparatus in which the loading and the unloading of the recording disc can be smoothly achievede, and the disc unloading amount can be suitably limited.
With the above objects in view, the present invention resides in a flexible disc apparatus which includes a frame having a recording medium loading portion to which a recording disc having a disc-shaped recording medium is mounted, a head portion for recording information to the recording medium or reproducing a recorded information from the recording medium, a carriage portion for moving the head portion onto a predetermined track of the recording medium, a medium drive motor for rotating the recording medium, a recording medium unloading mechanism portion for unloading the recording disc, and a magnet portion for attracting a metal portion of the recording disc upon unloading of the recording disc.
The flexible disc apparatus may also include a frame having a recording medium loading portion to which a recording disc having a disc-shaped recording medium is mounted, a head portion for recording information to the recording medium or reproducing a recorded information from the recording medium, a carriage portion for moving the head portion onto a predetermined track of the recording medium, a medium drive motor for rotating the recording medium, a recording medium unloading mechanism portion for unloading the recording disc, and a unloading amount restricting spring portion arranged to be engageable with a recess portion positioned substantially on a central axis of the recording disc extending along the loading and unloading direction of the recording disc, the unloading amount restricting spring portion comprising a first engagement portion facing toward the side of the loading direction of the recording disc and defining a first predetermined angle with respect to the recording disc and a second engagement portion facing toward the side of the unloading direction of the recording disc and defining a second predetermined angle smaller that the first predetermined angle with respect to the recording disc. The unloading amount restricting spring portion may be provided on the frame.
A flexible disc apparatus may also include a cover opposingly disposed to the frame with the recording disc interposed therebetween, and the unloading amount restricting spring portion is provided to the cover.
Alternatively, the flexible disc apparatus may include a frame having a recording medium loading portion to which a recording disc having a disc-shaped recording medium is mounted, a head portion for recording information to the recording medium or reproducing a recorded information from the recording medium, a carriage portion for moving the head portion onto a predetermined track of the recording medium, a medium drive motor for rotating the recording medium, and a recording medium unloading mechanism portion for unloading the recording disc, wherein the recording medium unloading mechanism portion comprises a medium holding portion which is arranged to be moveable along the loading and unloading direction of the recording disc and is provided with a medium holding portion which engages with one portion of the recording disc to maintain the recording disc at a predetermined space along the loading and unloading direction.
The recording disc may include a hook portion for the opening and closing motion of the shutter, the medium holding portion engages with the hook portion upon the loading and unloading of the recording disc to open and close the shutter.
The medium holding portion may include an engagement pawl portion supported by a guide shaft portion extending along the loading and unloading direction and movable along the loading and unloading direction, wherein the engagement pawl portion includes a first and a second leaf springs disposed along the loading and unloading direction, the first and second leaf springs holding therebetween the hook portion of the recording disc, thereby holding the recording disc.
The flexible disc apparatus may further comprise a dumper which abuts against a medium holding portion and elastically deforms upon the unloading of the recording disc.
The dumper portion may be a leaf spring or rubber.